I was lying on my bed staring out my window at Casey's old house when I heard Ponyboy yell from the kitchen. "I'm making eggs, anyone want some?" Soda didn't hear him because he was in the shower, Darry had already eaten and I yelled that I didn't want any as I walked into the kitchen to watch my brother cook. I sat on the padded kitchen chair and laid my sleepy head on the table just as a knock came at the front door. I could tell by the voice it was Two-Bit. I didn't move because he knew his way in.
"Ponyboy Curtis!" Two-Bit yelled as he and Steve stormed into the kitchen, hootin', hollerin', and causing a ruckus. Steve had the morning paper folded in his hand and he whacked me over the head with it.
"Scout Marie, I'm surprised Darry and Soda didn't kill ya for running away yesterday morning." Steve joked with a wide smile on his face. "Good thing you're a superstar now!"
"I didn't run away," I said simply while I watched Two-Bit stare at Pony's new hair color.
"Look at the blond headed monkey."
"I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it in the newspaper." Steve turned toward Ponyboy and handed him the newspaper. "Hey, tell me Ponyboy, what's it like being a hero? You know, like a big shot even?"
My brother ignored the questions and took the paper in his hands. I hopped to my feet and read the article over Ponyboy's shoulder, this time he didn't mind. The story explained the school picnic, the fire, and how grateful parents were to have their children's lives saved. The journalist wrote about Johnny being wanted for manslaughter and the later part of the article was all about us, the Curtis family. Ponyboy beat me to the part about the possibility of being put in a boys' home, and he walked away slamming the paper down on the dinning room table. "You know they're thinking of putting us in a boys' home? Aint no way they're putting me in a boys' home..." I heard Ponyboy say and walk off to the bathroom. I picked up the paper and returned to my kitchen chair to read the remainder of the article.
"Hell Ponyboy, they don't do that to heroes." Steve followed after him asking where Soda and Darry were.
Two-Bit plopped down in the kitchen chair across the table from me. "You don't look so good this morning."
"I'm fine," I sighed and realized I wasn't going to be able to finish the article as long as the house was full of people. "Just tired, and a little sick from all the smoke yesterday."
"Speaking of yesterday," Two-Bit looked at me with seriousness in his eye that was rarely seen. "I thought you should know you nearly killed poor Sodapop with grief, and I don't know how Darry made it through the day."
Not knowing which part of the day worried them the most I had to ask. Two-Bit looked at me like I was dumb. "All of it! We showed up to take you to school and the two of them were bawling on the couch. Soda had your note clutched in his hand. Steve had to force it from Soda's grip and read it just to find out what was wrong. Your brothers wanted to take off and go lookin' for ya, but ya didn't tell them you were going with Dally. Hell, no one wouldda guessed that."
A frown crowded my face. "I knew they wouldn't be happy, but I couldn't just sit around here anymore and wait."
"Yeah but you could have told someone. Hell, you could have told me! I would have skipped out of school and gone with you." Two-Bit's words were sincere. "I don't think it bothered them so much you went looking for Pony, I just think it scared them you were alone… and that they might never see you again too."
I smiled back at the young man. "I had never considered going with you, in hind sight maybe that would have been a better plan."
"Damn straight!" Two-Bit reached across the table and playfully slapped me on the cheek. He was awfully happy to have everyone back in Tulsa again.
The two of us got up from the table and walked into the dining room to see what Darry and Ponyboy were talking about. I heard Pony's voice. "I had one of those dreams last night." The whole house fell quiet and Pony lied to Two-Bit that his nightmare hadn't been too bad. I decided not to call my brother on that. It was a good thing too because Sodapop waltzed in to the room announcing his party plans for when he and the rest of the guys stomped the Socs into the ground and settled the feud once and for all.
Darry turned around to see Ponyboy wander outside to the porch so he called him back inside. "Pony?…Pony?" Ponyboy came back to find out what Darry wanted. "Ya' know maybe I oughtta take the day off."
Not wanting to spend the day with Darry looming over him Ponyboy assured Darry everyone would be fine. "We can afford that. Besides Scout'll be with me."
"Yeah, I know." Darry looked at me with a continued expression of concern. "Yeah, but the two of you just got back from the hospital, I really oughtta stay…"
"Don't worry'bout it Darry." Two-Bit said with a grin. "I'll babysit'em for ya." Ponyboy tried to take a swing at his friend and only ended up pinned to the floor gasping for breath while Steve chided Two-Bit for being lazy and not working for his living.
"Two-Bit lay off!" Darry ordered with a smile. "He aint looking so good." Darry pulled Ponyboy up from the floor then turned to me. "Here Scout," He handed me a few dollars as he headed out the door for work. "You and Pony do up the dishes then you can go to a movie or something before seeing Johnny if you want." I smiled back at him as thanks. He disappeared out the front door with Soda and Steve in tow.
"Come on let's clean up the house…" Ponyboy called out. I helped my brother, but Two-Bit just argued that our house wasn't messy. He spent the better part of an hour watching us clean while he rattled on, telling tale tales, and sharing his philosophy on life.
We all decided to skip seeing a movie and headed out straight for the hospital. Once we hit the main road Two-Bit preferred to hitch a ride rather than walk. With every passing car he stuck his thumb out and I secretly prayed the driver wouldn't pull over. I hated the idea of hitching a ride and being in a car with complete strangers. Two-Bit hated the idea of getting passed by, so with every car that ignored us he would flip them the bird. Each time I saw that I wanted to crawl under a manhole cover and hide with embarrassment. We were half way to the hospital when Ponyboy looked behind us at a tuff blue Ford Mustang, then his eyes began to panic. Two-Bit recognized the car and knew there was trouble.
"Come on," Two-Bit pushed us toward the Tasty-Freeze, "Let's get some Cokes."
I stayed close to my brother as we hustled up to the door of the diner. Right before we went in Two-Bit changed his mind and reached for Pony. "Wait a second… let's see what they want."
"Why do you want to see what they want?" Ponyboy asked as I looked at my brother's nervous expression and the exact opposite on Two-Bit's face. Trying to realize Two-Bit's change of plans I scanned the parking lot and noticed two members of Sheppard's gang parked nearby. I looked back at Two-Bit and knew he was confident he had enough backup to handle the Socs if things got rough.
Two-Bit's confidence rang clear in his voice as the four Socs got out of their car and headed towards us. "No jazz before the rumble. You know the rules ape face."
"We know that." The tall black haired soc said then turned his beady eyes on my brother. "I want to talk to you."
My eye's widened and I grabbed a hold of Pony's sweatshirt. I didn't want him to go with the soc. A list of 'what ifs' ran through my head as Ponyboy pulled loose from my grip and walked over to the Mustang and began a conversation with the boy who drove Johnny to murder.
The tension outside the Tasty Freeze lightened up as Skibby and Tim Sheppard's best friend Weasel climbed out of their car. The Socs stood around in their tight sweaters and khaki pants as Two-Bit began his montage of sarcastic comments. His wit even made me laugh and loosen my worries as Ponyboy stepped out of the Soc's car and walked back to join us.
"So what'd Mr. Super-Soc have to say?" Two-Bit was still smiling from his jokes.
"He aint a soc. He's just a guy who wanted to talk." Ponyboy said and kept quiet. I didn't push for more information but I hoped Pony would tell me later. There was a lot about the last seven days I was hoping Ponyboy would tell me about.
The guys from Sheppard's gang gave us a ride the rest of the way to the hospital, we rode the elevator to the floor Johnny was on, and Two-Bit led us to the nurse's station. "What room to see Johnny Cade."
The nurse looked up and noticed we were just greasy kids. "Sorry he can't have any visitors, doctor's orders."
Two-Bit smiled. "We're friends of his and we…"
The nurse shared no sympathy as she interrupted. "He can't have any visitors, doctor's orders."
Two-Bit, Ponyboy and I couldn't believe our friend needed us and we couldn't see him. Desperate, the three of us began to beg and plead for the nurse to let us in. We must have caused a bit of a commotion because we caught the attention of a doctor whose comment to his nurse turned my stomach. "Let them go in. He's been asking for them. It can't hurt now."
I walked into Johnnycake's hospital room behind Two-Bit and my brother. My mind expected an image of him greeting us with a nervous smile and those big black eyes would stare at us from behind his long greasy bangs. When I got to his bedside my thought couldn't have been further from the truth. Johnny was lying there, burned and weak. Gone were his greasy bangs, and his eyes were closed and peaceful. I wondered briefly if he had already passed away. Tears rolled silently down my cheeks.
"Hey Johnnycake." Two-Bit cooed and Johnny's eyes came open.
Weakly he spoke his greeting. "Hey ya'll." Hearing his voice gave me hope and I wiped the tears from my cheeks so Johnny wouldn't see them and worry. Two-Bit did most of the talking. He was sure to check and see that everyone at the hospital was treating him well, to let him know about the rumble and then about the article in the paper. Johnny seemed most proud of that, it isn't often a group of greasers' get a positive write up in the newspaper.
"You need anything besides grease?" Two-Bit asked and made a mental note of things to bring Johnny tomorrow.
"The book, can ya'll get me another?" Johnny breathlessly spoke.
I looked at Ponyboy for an answer and Ponyboy looked to Two-Bit. "He wants a copy of Gone with the Wind so I can read it to him. Can you go get a copy?"
"Ok, don't ya'll run off," Two-Bit said cheerfully and left the room. Ponyboy moved over to Two-Bit's spot at Johnny's side. I stayed across the bed trying not to speak. I knew if I did there would be no way I could keep my tears inside.
Ponyboy started with simple conversation telling Johnny about Dally's condition and that he and Darry were getting along better. Simple conversation quickly changed as Johnny winced in pain and told Ponyboy that he knew he was pretty bad off. Pony tried to discount the truth of our friend's condition, but Johnny knew better. Emotions clogged my throat and I had to back away to the doorway to hide from Johnny while Pony held back tears.
"Johnny your mother's here to see you." The nurse's voice made me jump. My eyes widened in shock. I had never thought Johnny's mother would care enough about him to be by his side. Johnny didn't believe it either. Instead of welcoming his mother he pleaded for the nurse to tell her to go away. Our friend struggled to sit up and the effort nearly killed him as he passed out cold. I looked across the room at Ponyboy for an answer. Was he dead? The nurse ran to Ponyboy and hustled him out the door along with me. Just outside we ran into Two-Bit in the hall.
"You can't see him now." The nurse said to answer the question in Two-Bit's eyes.
Two-Bit handed her the book. "Make sure he can see this when he comes around. The nurse agreed and closed the door as the pain of the situation finally flowed out of our friend while he stared at the hospital room door. "I wish it was anyone of us but Johnny. We could get along with out anyone but Johnny."
I heard the words and knew he spoke for some of the gang, but not my brothers or me. In one respect my family was our own little gang, bound by blood and history. Two-Bit loved Johnny like a brother and to lose him would be like me losing Ponyboy. I knew how painful that was, so I kept my opinion quiet.
As we walked through the halls we passed by Johnny's mother who was ranting about not being able to see her son. She loudly blamed us for being hoodlums and ruining her son's life. As the shrill words left her mouth I grabbed onto Ponyboy's hand and he squeezed it hard. I could see the anger in his eyes and I was sure he was going to stop walking and finally tell the woman how he felt about her, but Two-Bit interrupted.
"No wonder he hates your guts." Two-Bit glared angrily and was ready to approach Johnny's mom when Ponyboy pushed him along. I was relieved Ponyboy did that or Two-Bit would be sure to have started something. Our friend turned to walk away and muttered. "I can't believe he has to live with that!"
Two-Bit's words spoke volumes. Images filled my mind of how horrible Johnny's life would become if he ever recovered and had to go home a cripple. He already took a pretty bad beating from his parents. What would happen if he couldn't protect himself or get away to the vacant lot or our house? Darry and Sodapop already had their hands full with Ponyboy and I. There was no way they could afford to take Johnny in too. My thoughts made me feel even more miserable as we walked into Dally's hospital room and found him arguing with the nurse.
"Get out of here!" Dally ordered the woman.
"I'll be so glad when you're gone." The nurse mumbled as she left. I had a pretty good idea how she felt. There aren't too many people in this world that can tolerate Dallas Winston and his antics.
Dallas chased after the nurse and slammed the hospital room door shut, wearing only his underwear. "I want out!"
To my relief, Dally climbed back into bed and pulled the bed sheet up before conversing with Two-Bit about the day's events. I backed up and sat on the edge of the other hospital bed with Ponyboy, who wasn't looking so well. He looked even worse as Two-Bit told Dally about how bad Johnny's condition was.
"Ya got that knife?" Dallas asked out of the blue.
My eyes grew wide as Two-Bit flipped out the blade of his prized switchblade and handed it over to Dallas.
Dally's eyes grew to ice as he turned away from his friends. "You know we've got to win that fight! We gotta get in with those Socs!" Dally violently stabbed at the bed. "Do it for Johnny! We'll do it for Johnny!"
Everyone in the room could feel the anger and hurt in Dally's words and no one was eager to stay and visit. We said our quiet goodbyes and Two-Bit even left without his knife.
Outside the hospital, Two-Bit decided we would ride the bus home. "We need to save our strength for the rumble."
Ponyboy and I liked the idea of not walking home, so we didn't argue. Waiting on the bench at the bus stop, Ponyboy's skin grew pale and he looked like he could pass out. Two-Bit put his hand to my brother's forehead.
"You feeling OK Ponyboy, you feel kind of hot."
"I'm alright," Pony stayed sitting in a slump. "I'll take a bunch of aspirins when I get home. Be a pal and don't tell Darry, okay Two-Bit?"
"Alright, but Darry'll kill me if you're sick and you go ahead and fight anyway."
"Keep your trap shut and he won't find nothing out!" Ponyboy barked and then looked at me. "And that goes for you too!"
My facial expression growled back at my brother. "I never said I'd say a thing!" I snapped back. "What is your problem all of a sudden?" Then I remembered that none of Pony's problems were 'all of a sudden'.
Two-Bit interrupted our argument and the bus pulled up, "You know the only thing that keeps Darry from being a soc is us?"
"Yeah, I know." Pony shrugged.
Two-Bit looked over at me as I stood up. "He aint the only one who could easily be a soc."
"What's that suppose to mean?" I glared back.
"Means I think you're more of a soc than a greaser." Two-Bit handed me some change for the bus. "Admit it Scout, you make a lousy greaser chick." I couldn't argue with him, so I didn't.
We sat down together in the back of the bus and Ponyboy laid his head against the window. "Tonight… I don't like it one bit."
"We're gonna beat those Socs and everything is going to be all right." Two-Bit said missing the real worry Ponyboy had.
Author's note: I am wondering if the readers have a vision in their head yet about Scout's involvement in the rumble. It is a pivotal part of the book and I am not sure how I see it myself. I welcome all opinions. Thanks, Erinskie